Potential Risks in Wi-Fi 7 Certification: Why Delaying Solutions Costs You More Later
Most companies still tend to submit samples for Wi-Fi certification late in the DVT stage or just before mass production. However, in practice, many design issues are often only discovered at this stage, potentially causing significant delays and costly modifications.
As Wi-Fi technology continuously evolves and certification standards are regularly updated, mastering the risks and challenges of future certifications during the product design phase has become a critical issue for hardware development teams. Allion has long supported clients in successfully passing Wi-Fi certifications while significantly shortening development cycles and time-to-market. Recently, we have launched a new “Compliance in Validation” early consulting service to help customers anticipate certification requirements and adjust design directions as early as the EVT or even product planning stage—avoiding costly rework later and truly achieving a faster and more reliable product launch strategy.
Feeling unsure? Here’s a painful real-world example:
A customer developing a Wi-Fi 7 product reused the WPA3 feature design from Wi-Fi 6 and overlooked the mandatory support for AKM 24 required in Wi-Fi 7. As a result, their product was rejected after testing, forcing them to spend a significant amount of time rewriting code and causing serious delays in product launch.
RECENT KEY CHANGE REMINDERS:
1. Mandatory enforcement of the Forward Compatibility Program (ECN_#00623)
2. 6GHz Class Compatibility testing will become officially mandatory starting October (ECN_#00632)
Allion’s Compliance in Validation Early-Stage Consulting Service:
Making Certification No Longer the Last Step in Development
Allion’s Compliance in Validation Early-Stage Consulting Service: Making Certification No Longer the Last Step in Development
Our “Compliance in Validation (CiV)” service covers all product development stages from EVT to DVT, helping clients effectively manage all Wi-Fi certification requirements, complete preparations in advance, and reduce the risk of redesigns.
- EVT Stage: Strategic Advice to Avoid Misguided Efforts
Purpose:
Assist clients in clarifying testing requirements and the necessity of functions at an early stage, saving resources and avoiding development pitfalls.
Key Support Services:
- Help confirm which Wi-Fi programs and support functions the product must comply with
- Determine whether each function is mandatory or optional
- Prevent unnecessary development efforts caused by misjudgment
Case Study:
A vehicle manufacturer’s product specification supported Wi-Fi 6 but mistakenly assumed Agile Multiband support was mandatory. Allion helped clarify that this feature was optional, successfully saving significant development resources and time.
- DVT Stage: Pre-Validation of Critical Items
Purpose:
Conduct early validation of high-risk items to reduce the risk of test failures.
Key Support Services:
- Identify and pre-validate high-risk functions
- Assist clients in early correction of potential design issues
- Verify availability of necessary test tools and hardware resources for subsequent testing
Case Study:
Based on Allion’s observations, nearly 40% of products submitted for testing encountered issues with the Wi-Fi Test Suite (WTS) tool malfunctioning, causing test delays and rework. Validating the WTS tool functionality during the DVT stage can significantly reduce the risk of rework and ensure smooth progression of subsequent testing processes.
Advantages of Partnering with Allion:
The world’s only Wi-Fi full-test laboratory, fully up-to-date with the latest standards and trends.
Allion has been an official authorized laboratory since the early days of the Wi-Fi Alliance and offers:
✔ The world’s only full-range Wi-Fi testing laboratory qualification
✔ Deep involvement in Wi-Fi Alliance specification development, allowing first-hand access to new ECNs (Engineering Change Notices)
✔ Close collaboration with the Alliance, actively pursuing Wi-Fi 7 R2 certification lab status to ensure first-hand testing support
Allion can assist you with:
- Establish Wi-Fi certification preparation processes and knowledge
- Proactively identify essential features and key design elements
- Reduce the number of revisions and accelerate certification approval
- Stay ahead by addressing upcoming test items and mandatory regulations
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The Allion consulting team understands whether your product faces potential risks, and we will help you make thorough preparations before your product even goes for testing!